23 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Moving to Italy

“Making big decisions is easy” – Said no one ever.

Friends, hindsight is 20/20! Which is why I’d like to share with you a little bit of this so called “20/20 vision” that I have now looking back on my moving to Italy experience (even though in reality my REAL physical vision is practically on the level of being blind!).

Deciding to move to Italy is something you should definitely take seriously. While at first glance it might seem like life in Italy is all pizza and pasta and romantic Italian men serenading you in the street , it’s not always “la dolce vita”! Italy has its share fare of economic and cultural downfalls, and not all foreigners are compatibile with the lifestyle that Italy can offer them. In fact, life in Italy isn’t right for everyone. I have known several people who moved to Italy only to move back home after a few months because they realized that it just wasn’t for them.

Take your deicision seriously by answering the following 23 questions to ask yourself before moving to Italy! I recommend that you use a piece of paper to record your answer (“yes” or “no”) so that you can total up your yes’s and no’s at the end.

1. Are you able to be far away from your family for long periods time?

2. Are you willing to work for less?

3. Are you willing you live in a smaller apartment or home?

4. Can you handle crowded places?

5. Do you want to learn Italian?

6. If you are a female, are you willing to put up with catcalling, occassional female stereotyping, and being greeted with “Ciao bella!” by unknown men?

7. If you are a male, are you willing to put up with constant female rejection and/or women who obsess over how you dress?

8. If you need to run to the supermarket, do you always put on fashionably acceptable attire (as oppose to whatever is most comfortable such as scrubs/pjamas/gym clothes)?

9. Do you enjoy 2-hour long meals?

10. Do you have the patience for long lines?

11. Do you like walking?

12. Do you know what type of work you would like to do while in Italy?

If you answered “yes” to 15 or more of these questions, then you are probably ready to move to la bella Italia! It means that you are culturally compatabile with Italy’s lifestyle and are willing to take on new challenges.

Any questions in which you answered “no” to are things you should consider very seriously before moving to Italy. If you answered mostly “no’s” it doesn’t mean that you can’t move to Italy, but you should definitely consider how your life will change when you move to Italy and understand if you are willing to accept those changes or not. :)